Banjo



Jan. 16, 1923. 1,442,756

H. W. WEYMANN.

' BANK).

man we. 55, 1921,

mVl/A 1N VIEIV TOR Patented Jan. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY VI. WEYMANN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO H. A.WEY- MANN & SON, INQ, OF PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA. A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

BANJO.

Application filed August 15, 1921.

'1 '0 If whom it may (.miccrn:

Be it known that I, HARRY W'. \VnY- MANN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of eni'isylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in aBanjo, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful im 'irovements in banjos andother similar musical iustrmuents. and has for its object to improve theconstruction thereof so as to be neat in appearance and strong anddurable. l

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the qualityof the innsical production will he im 'n'ored.

A 'i'urther object of the invention is to provide a musical instrumentof the class mentioned having a sound amplifier produced From the rimthereof.

still further object oi the invention is to so construct the body of themusical in strument as to eliminate the protruding brackets thefillister screw passing through a bore in the rim projecting into acounterbore in which the adjusting nuts are housed.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains, may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this application. in which Fig. I. is a frontelevation ol a banjo embodying my improvements.

Fin. 2, is a side elevation thereot Fig. .l. is an enlarged fragmentarysectiooal view of the rim illustrating, the relnfinll ol the componentparts theret the lillis er screw being shown in elevation,

l igr. i, is 21 fr mentary edge view of the run.

Fig. S1, is :1 transverse sectional view on :1 reduced scale, oi thel'llll.

ln carrying out my invention as here emhodicih 2 represents a wooden rimconstructed from one or more pieces as is well known in the manufactureof musical instruments Serial No. 492,420.

and this rim has a groove 3 formed in its upper outer edge and in thecase of a banjo is annular in shape. In this recess is lo cated the ringa on which rests the parchment head 5, the latter being held in piace bythe hoop (i which latter is fastened in position and adjusted to producethe desired tension upon the head hy means of iillister screws 7 thelatter passing through bores formed in the wood rim 2 and projecting!into the counterhore 9 formed in the lower edge of the rim andcommonicatinn with the aforementioned bores. In the counterlmres arelocated the nuts 11) ha vine threaded connection with the lillisterscrews and if 'l'ound desirable suitable washers ll may be iuten posedbetween the inner ends of the nuts and the end walls of the ountcrbores.

This construction eliminates the brackets ordinarily used on musicalinstruments of this character in conjunction with the til lister screwsso that the exterior oi the rim 2 forming a part of the body {)lEHBHtS asmooth surface thereby elin'iinating one of the ohjectional features inbanjos namely, the protruding brackets which catch in and snare theclothing of the musician. Further such a construction gives to a musicalinstrument a much neuter appearance than one having a great number ofprotruding: brackets and as said brackets are likely to he turned fromone side to the other twisted or broken off the elimination thereofgreatly strengthens the construction of the body.

The rim 2 of the body forms an amplifier by which the musical vibrationsare aniplified and. modified in tone to give mellowncss to thevibrations, and said amplifier is produced by the outwardly divcrgg'iuginner surfaces of the wood rim 2 as indicated at 12 so that said ampliier is in the shape of a truncated cone with the smaller end adjacentthe parchment head 5.

To the body ol' the musical instrument is fastened in the cell knownmanner the 1H- dinary neck iii carrying; the head it an prcwided withsuitable pegs or keys t5 Ul' course 1 do not wish to be limited in theexact. details of constru ti n as herein shown as these may be variedwithin the limits oi the appended claims without dl parting" from thespirit o! my invention Having thus fully described my invention, What Iclaim as new and useful is wwui ii'iaiuyj rim aving; uumaurtaiythmwhulnut- \itiilii mwidvd with npening's thvruiIII H'l' L a iH'zHi dispuiwd:u-russ said rim adjai-vul thv aualha' inner diameter thereof, a hump tovug'agv said head, tiilister Screws l'tlilt'ii'llff with said hump andprojerting into the upvuingu. and imam; also within Said npvuiiigs tr!LIIQHQP tho wiwwi i'wr adjuSting thv HIHHP.

2. lllihit' li instrument (miiprisinp' a wnud rim having an LXill'iUl'groove and pint'ititti with manuiunirating bores and muiutvrhures andfurther having its inner surt'avv howled outwardly producing atriuu-atcd cane shapvd amplifier a ring dispm! within tha gruuwaparrhmunt hvad diu msvd :H'I'USH the smaller end (it thv auriditier andengaging said ring; a hump for hidding the head (1H said ring; [illiaterwivwu matting with said hoop with purtions thvrvof ima ing through thvhares and projct'ting into the mmnterhnrvs whervhy said purtiuus areentireiy hqusvd within the rim and nuts hH-atvd in the muntvrhm'vs andhaving threaded engagvna'iit with said svrvws to adjust the latter. saidnuts alsu tiring: vntirviy housed within the rim.

In testininny whereof, I have hereunto a itixod my signature.

HARRY W. WE YMANN:

